Sunday, November 6, 2011

Cain/Gingrich 'Lincoln-Douglas style' debate

The Woodlands, Texas received a presidential-sized treat on Saturday evening. The Texas Patriots PAC hosted a Lincoln-Douglas style debate between the two Georgians in the presidential race, frontrunner Herman Cain and Newt Gengrich, who's rapidly rising in the polls. With opening remarks from host Julie Turner, President of the Texas Patriots PAC, moderator Ben Streusand, Texas Chairman of Americans For Prosperity, and co-moderator Iowan Rep. Steve King, the debate focused entirely on Medicare, Medicaid & Social Security, and the growing burden of entitlement spending.

As Erika Johnsen of Townhall described, "instead of the many-candidates, many-topics format that showcases the varying viewpoints but doesn't quite attack the heart of the issues, Cain and Gingrich got down to brass tacks on the big three entitlement programs that are slowly robbing us all blind." It should also be added that this format provided an opportunity for the candidates to hammer away at President Obama and the Democrats, rather than the media's desired internal discord.

And I very much share Johnsen's closing sentiment, "I'm hoping we'll get to see more debates of this type, between two candidates and covering a specific topic, as it stripped away much of the hullabaloo of production value, aggressive moderators, and in-fighting dramatics." Amen!